Fast buck: Simon Day as Dave Angel in The Fast Show
Simon Day, known for his work on The Fast Show, has built a successful career as a comedian. While he may charge less than some of his comedic counterparts for corporate gigs, he can still earn up to £10,000 for just seven minutes on stage. In an interview with Donna Ferguson, Day reveals that he regrets turning down the opportunity to have his own BBC TV series. He also shares that he experienced a period of homelessness as a teenager before finding success in comedy. Today, he lives in North-West London with his wife and children.
Lessons from parents
Day explains that his parents tried to teach him the value of money, but he admits he was never very good at managing his finances. His father was an architect and his mother was a teacher. Day considers himself to be middle class, although his father was working class and his mother grew up with limited financial resources. Despite his parents’ frugality, Day struggled financially after their divorce when he was 15.
Financial struggles
After his parents separated, Day found himself homeless for about a year. He relied on friends for places to sleep, occasionally spending nights in parks or cars. He held various jobs, including packing, laboring, toilet cleaning, and sewing. Eventually, he found work as a landscape gardener, which provided some financial stability. However, it wasn’t until he started doing comedy at the age of 29 that his financial situation began to improve.
Silly money
Day recalls a corporate gig where he was paid £10,000 for just seven minutes of performance. While he received praise for his comedy, he admits that the gig was over quickly. He once spoke to fellow comedians Harry Hill and David Mitchell about corporate gigs, and they advised him to raise his prices, believing that he was underselling himself. However, Day felt that as a less well-known comedian, he couldn’t turn down such lucrative opportunities.
Best financial year
Around 2003, Day had a highly successful year financially. He wrote and starred in his own BBC TV show, Grass, and featured in an advert for Powergen. With these projects, he earned a six-figure sum.
Expensive purchases
Day splurged on a Grayson Perry print called Print For A Politician in 2003. It cost him several thousand pounds, and he believes its value has likely increased over time. He jokes that if he weren’t a comedian, he would enjoy buying art for hotels as a career.
Biggest money mistake
One of Day’s biggest financial regrets was turning down an offer from BBC TV executive Janet Street-Porter. She wanted to give Day his own series featuring his character Tommy Cockles. However, another famous person advised Day not to accept the offer, promising to secure him a sitcom instead. Unfortunately, this promise fell through and Day missed out on the opportunity to have his own show.
Best financial decision
Day believes that his best financial decision was getting married. He credits his wife with helping him become more responsible with his money. Prior to meeting her, he admits to having a lot of people taking advantage of him. Being married and having children motivated him to prioritize his family’s financial well-being.
Financial priorities
Day’s number one financial priority is providing for his family. He wants to strike a balance between not being too frugal, like his parents were with him, and not spoiling his children. He sees it as a challenge.
Simon Day is currently on tour with his comedy character show.
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